Marijuana Nutrients: Why Are They Necessary?

While cannabis plants can grow in different, even unexpected conditions, as a grower, you are counting on the best possible harvest. The way you take care of your plants will influence the buds you get. If you choose the right marijuana nutrients, you can influence such factors as the quality, quantity, appearance, and effectiveness of marijuana.

Does Cannabis Differ From Other Plants?

Just like our bodies, cannabis plants require certain food to fuel specific functions that will help them survive and flower in a healthy manner.

The difference between nutrient and non-nutrient plants is obvious. Of course, if you plant cannabis seeds into simple dirt, they will probably grow at some point, but the chances are big that there will be no buds at all. If cannabis does not get certain levels of nourishment, the harvest will be sparse and of poor quality. Besides, growing weed without additional nourishment is only possible in soil. The soil has to be of good quality with essential nutrients already mixed in it. There is even the specialized soil for growing cannabis.

If you want to fertilize your plants correctly, you have to learn the types of nutrients you will need and the way to use them.

In general, you can use the same nutrients for marijuana as you use for other plants. However, considering that your mini-plantation of marijuana is more valuable than some decorative ficus, we recommend you to leave behind off-the-shelf fertilizers and start using specialized cannabis products. Despite the fact that cannabis requires similar nutrients, it is not like all other herbs. The way you nourish it is different. Besides, some ways of growing will require additional or alternative nutrients as well. The key to success is understanding the process of cannabis nourishment and what nutrients the flower needs at different stages of growth.

Organic or Non-organic?

When preparing to grow your first portion of weed, you need to consider if you need your harvest to be organic or not. For patients who use medical marijuana, having fewer chemicals may be an essential factor. Of course, it is possible to grow organic weed. There are such organic fertilizers as guano, fish meal, and worm casts. The taste and aroma of this harvest will be better; you can forget about flushing before harvesting, and the soil will be left rich in nutrients for the next batch of plants.

However, there are some downsides of organic growing. First of all, this kind of growing is usually more expensive. Besides, organic hydroponic nutrients is a highly debatable thing, so you will have to resort to soil. Also, you cannot control which nutrients are given to the plant and if there is any deficit of them.

What Nutrients Are Essential?

If you decide to buy man-made nutrients for your weed, you need to know what chemicals can help your plants the most. There are three main nutrients that you have to use: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium.

Nitrogen is the main component of the growth process. Nitrogen is an essential part of the chlorophyll molecule that is critical for the growth of the plant. The lack of this chemical may lead to slower growth, yellow leaves, and purplish tints on the stems.

Phosphorus influences the energy transfer and storage in the plant. It is the power station of the plant. Besides, the lack of phosphorus makes nitrogen useless. If you see that your plants are growing slowly and have small leaves with blotchy spots that may in time turn dark, you know that you have to add some phosphorus to the growing medium.

Potassium is essential for a number of critical processes, including flowering, development of cell walls, and water uptake. It is the best way to make plant resist insects and diseases. The symptoms of the lack of potassium are: the leaves' tips curl up and look burned, old leaves turn dull while the new ones are healthy and green.

When you are choosing a way to nourish your plant, remember that all nutrients are working together—the plant's diet has to be balanced.

Nourishment is one of the most important factors that influence the growth of your cannabis plants. If weed receives all the necessary nutrients, the harvest will be dense and the buds will be of high quality.